Betty Club Mpetyane was born out bush in the lands surrounding Utopia, about two hours north-east of Alice Springs in Central Australia. Her mother, Minnie Pwerle, and her sister, Barbara Weir, were both acclaimed artists.

Betty is the fourth of Minnie’s seven children, and her father was the artist ‘Motorcar’ Jim Ngala. She is also a cousin of the famous Petyarre sisters, and is married to Paddy Club.

Betty was part of the Utopia batik movement of the 1970s, and contributed to Utopia: A Picture Story, now in the Holmes à Court Collection. She went on to paint on canvas.

She paints the Bush Plum and Bush Melon Dreamings of her father’s Country. Since her mother’s passing she has also painted Minnie’s stories – Awelye (women’s ceremony), Anemangkerr (Bush Melon) and Akarley (Wild Orange) – in a style that recalls Minnie’s loose, energetic brushwork, though often more ordered, with brilliant colour.